Lets Explore What Matters.
On the shore of Coniston in my first week with E.W.M.
So I guess it’s about time to talk about this new job I’m always harping on about. So in May of this year I made the decision to leave behind workshops and cabinet making and move into the world of “facilitated development adventures” I’d been looking for a change for some time, I knew I wanted something different, something that would make me think differently, something that would challenge me both mentally and physically, I wanted to find more purpose in my daily life. I met with Scotty, founder of Explore What Matters, through a mutual friend in April and after meeting a couple of times and discussing everything from our personal beliefs through to our cultural gripes, he offered me a position working on operations, logistics and general team support. It was going to be a big change…but after those first couple of meetings with ’S’ I just knew I had to work with him. The work he does, the work he wants to do, how he delivers and how he sees the world is truly inspiring to me. I wasn’t 100% sure what my role would be and I wasn’t 100% sure how much I’d earn (but I knew initially it would be less than what I was currently on). What I did know, was that I just had to take a leap of faith; I felt inspired, and somehow empowered, I wasn’t afraid of making the jump out of the safe place I’d been stuck in. So I quit my job and signed up. I’ve been 100% all-in since that day.
“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself. ”
It’s time for me to get out and explore the world, find purpose…become a version of me that I can be proud of.
Facilitated Development Adventures…
So what are “facilitated development adventures” you may ask? Well, lets break it down. We “facilitate” / lead / guide people into having meaningful conversations, deep personal reflections and encourage positive impacts both personally and culturally, here-in lies the development section…we empower people to have the courage to make big, impactful, daring decisions….and here we are led to the adventurous aspect…the definition of adventure is “an unusual and exciting or daring experience.”. Most people immediately jump to far away lands when they think of adventure, and yes, our work takes us all over the globe with a wide variety of people, but you don’t need to be in far-flung locations to find adventure….essentially; we take people on journeys, journeys of self-discovery, self-development, self-confidence; and I’m to leave the world a better place. ’S’ has facilitated development all over the world, to audiences both big and small; his persona and outlook on how we should behave culturally and personally is infectious, but not in-your-face or obnoxious, I admire him greatly, even in such a short space of time and have him to thank for the opportunity to both develop and find something I find truly purposeful. My role is super varied, i work on operations, business development, marketing and I’m a basecamp manager on our off-site away days…I love the mix of home / office and new locations, the people are amazingly talented and incredibly knowlegable, I can honestly say I have directly learned from each of them. So will I be facilitating in the near future? I’ve thought about this as part of my own development, but if I’m honest…I’ve always liked being the “background” guy, ensuring that everything runs smoothly without being in the foreground so basecamp and operations suits me perfectly. I also find that on expeditions the b.c. often turns inot a bit of an “agony aunt” which i really enjoy. I feel connected to the adventure, the participants and the affiliates which is nice, it’s like you become part of the adventure in itself.
The world has a knack of taking back whats hers…given the time and space.
The World and Our Impact
We are passionate about the world and our impact on it. In 2024 we hope to launch some exciting, adventurous, culturally positive projects which will be our way of giving back to the planet, playing our part to the betterment of the world around us, with an aim to positively change cultures and grow awareness. As a company, and as individuals, we aim to be as culturally & ethically connected as possible. I have come to learn that our own personal endeavours should have an alignment with my own values regarding the earth and culture. Where possible we only travel if we believe we can make a positive connection and amelioration through that activity. I absolutely love this ethos, as someone who is passionate about the planet, but also a keen traveller, it is an interesting concept to take on board. I have personally changed future plans to align with this new found connection. Cultural and environmental impact is now one of my main concerns when arranging and booking adventures of my own, and if I haven’t got an initial positive impact in mind then I’ll make sure to find one. If you’re interested in your own personal development and would like to know more about our work, feel free to send me a message and let’s talk things through! Now I could list a thousand links about our impact on the environment and not even scratch the surface of what’s available, instead I’ll leave a link the the National Geographic website which has a series of short educational resources covering a variety of subjects…they’re informative and to the point. I urge you to head over and watch a couple (at least…).
“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars...to change the world. ”
I was recently being assessed for a position with the British Exploring Society, a charity setup in 1932 to help underprivileged youths (ages 16 to 25) get out on expeditions, to help them develop and explore, to give them opportunities that may never be available otherwise. The work is very similar to that of E.W.M. but with a younger audience; I’ve applied to be one of their basecamp managers which will be an amazing opportunity if I’m lucky enough to be accepted. On this assessment the question of whether we all have the “right to explore” the planet was posed; I think I might have been the only person to completely agree with this statement; I truly believe that all people have the right to explore the planet we live on; but as an addendum to that I believe that the planet has a right to be respected by all who explore her. Over the next couple of years I hope to aid on more charitable expeditions as well as using my photography to bring light to situations and causes that I feel need to be brought to light. We’ll be designing and running more community focussed programmes too which is really exciting.
“Nature knows no pause in progress and development, and attaches her curse on all inaction.”
As always…I’d love to hear your thoughts so feel free to share, comment, sign-up! I’m running a competition to win a signed, framed print in December…sign-up below and head to my instagram page for more details. @that.bronica.guy
And if you’re interested in joining one of our development adventures please get in touch, we have them planned both in the U.K. and abroad and can also run modular academies for corporate groups. Send me an email and let’s discuss; ollie@explorewhatmatters.com
‘till next time. Ol